Chinook
Chinooks are very strong winds that occur on the leeward side of North/South oriented mountain ranges, such as the Rockies. They form in well-defined areas, several hundred kilometers wide, and can be quite strong. The chinook winds are not unique to the North America. In the Alps, they are known as foehns; in Argentina, they are called zonda winds. As the air descends in the mountain range, it compresses and warms, which can cause air temperatures to rise (sometimes more than 30°F). The chinooks are a welcomed sight after a harsh winter in the Great Plains. Referred to as ‘snow eaters,’ these warm, and typically dry winds can melt over a foot of snow in one day.
